


The Price of a Life.

by SakiSakura14



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hackers, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Mob, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Assassin Corpse Husband (Video Blogging RPF), Best Friends, Black Markets, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Childhood Friends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Heavy Angst, Hugs, Jack Needs a Hug, Jack being Jack, M/M, Mafia AU, Mafia Corpse Husband, Male-Female Friendship, Mental Breakdown, Mentioned Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Mentioned Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Misunderstandings, Near Death Experiences, Nicknames, OfflineTV - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Precious Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Corpse Husband (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Jack, Protective Toast, Protectiveness, Rae is best friend, Sean McLoughlin Egos, Sick Character, Sick Sean McLoughlin, Sickfic, Sleep, Soft Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF), Strangers to Lovers, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Tags Are Hard, Toast, Toast and Sykkuno are brothers, Worried Sean McLoughlin, hugs are needed, vigilantes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:35:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29193933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakiSakura14/pseuds/SakiSakura14
Summary: Mafia AU.Sykkuno gets kidnapped and sold on the auction house before Toast could buy him back, Heck, Toast did not even have a chance of buying him back.Who bought Sykkuno??? non-other than Corpse himself.Toast is trying to bring Sykkuno back, but Corpse is Ahead and has no intention of giving up Sykkuno.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Corpse Husband & Rachel "Rae" Hofstetter, Corpse Husband & Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF), Corpse Husband/Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF), Imane Anys & Rachel "Rae" Hofstetter, Lily Ki & Sykkuno, Lily Ki/Michael Reeves, Ludwig Ahgren & Sykkuno, Rachel "Rae" Hofstetter & Jeremy Wang, Rachel "Rae" Hofstetter & Lily Ki, Sean McLoughlin & Sykkuno
Comments: 59
Kudos: 350





	1. Act one : Shattered

**Author's Note:**

> (This is a sample of an AU I have of Corpse and Sykkuno.)
> 
> Note. I RESPECT THEIR SEXUATITES and AM ONLY SHIPPING THEM. PLEASE DO NOT PRESSURE BOTH OF THEM, AS THEY ARE HUMAN BEING TOO.

Toast was cursing under his breath as he entered the dark and spacious underground auction house.

To say that Toast was furious was an understatement, Toast was more than furious that his little brother was about to be sold to some creep in the black market.

He had promised to protect him at all costs after they ran away from their parents who made their lives hell.

He thought he was doing a good job.

Until his little brother, Sykkuno wasn’t found in the apartment that they both lived in. (although Toast was rarely home) this wouldn’t be concerning as Sykkuno would go exploring in the district looking for planting things even though it wasn’t safe to be by yourself in a town that was owned by different people. But Sykkuno was…… off-putting to some due to his smiling and happy demeanour that he always had. Despite the lives that they had.

After looking around, he found an empty section in the auction house, the auction house was shaped like a lecture room in those college and university classrooms, but in front of the section that was empty were two figures, dressed like another faction from a different section of the district. One who had dirty blond hair and was wearing a black dress shirt with his black trench tied up with a…. red and black tie peeking out? Toast couldn’t see as he only saw the back and side view of this one. The other one had a man bun, and neon green streaks in his hair, the one with the bright green hair was wearing all black, as that was all Toast could see.

Toast recognized them as being with the “M” district. The “M” district was not an ally of “Offline” nor were they an enemy to “Offline”. But as Protocol of all the Maifas, if you met someone that was not an ally you would…….. send them “off”.

Normally if Toast would…… send them off into retirement. But all the “bosses” of each district established that there would be no scuffles in the auction houses. Unless it was War. Then it was a whole other complicated situation where gunfire would be allowed.

After sitting down, Toast bowed his head and tapped his watch.

Tapping his watch, Toast reminisced back to how he knew that Sykkuno had been kidnapped.

\----------------------------------------------

Toast had just walked up the flight of stairs to floor #28, Sighing as he had just taken out some “pest” for “Offline”. He was sighing as his life had been a bit slack recently even though being a right-hand man was sure to add spice to your life. He was in “Offline”。

Heading towards the apartment space that they dwelled in, he could see from a distance that the door had been nearly knocked off the frame. The door was just hanging barely in place.

Toast froze.

“Nonononononono,” thought Toast with anxiety sneaking upon him.

Toast ran and skidded to a stop at the entrance.

Toast’s eye became wide as dinner plates.

The apartment was in shambles, the entrance showed the kitchen and a good portion of the living room, or what was the living room the coffee table was overturned, plant pots smashed the dirt everywhere, the couch had knife slashes all over, the pictures that hang in their black and golden frame had fallen, broken glass everywhere from the frames. It was clear that there had been a fight or a struggle here.

Nononononoononononononononnonononono

“Please god no……” Toast whispered into the shambles

“SYKKUNO???”

Silence.

Toast turned to the desk that was in the corner of the living room that had security cameras. Only to find the monitor smashed.

_“You’re being watched???” Toast asked Sykkuno when they were running errands._

_“Um- i- just get the feeling that someone is watching me….” Sykkuno replied quietly. As he put a can of dish soap into their basket._

_“..........”_

_“W-where are you going Toast- wait-for me!”_

_“I’m getting the cameras. From the tech aisle”_

_“W-What? B-but isn’t those half of your wage??”_

_“It's worth it”_

_“No-no-no Toast I’m sure I just it w-was-just-nothing”_

_“Too late for that.”_

At this point, Toast’s Adrenaline was pumping at full speed as he remembered the conversation that they had and what drove them to set up the cameras.

As Toast moved in deeper into the disordered apartment the indication of a struggle was becoming more and more clear. The walls in the hallway were broken or dented, the potted plants that were in their little holders which were glued to the walls were shattered all over the floor, the dirt mixing with the carpets and shards.

Toast went into Sykkuno’s Bedroom and was met with a horrid sight. It was a mark. The mark was painted on with a red substance, Toast could only hope that it wasn’t Sykkuno’s blood.

☫. That was the mark that culprits left behind.

It was the mark of a certain ring of auction houses. And there was only three operating that week. At separate times

Knowing that Toast sped out of the apartment and to the auction houses.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“AND SOLD!”

Toast raised his head and came back to the present.

Toast watched as the caged animal (tiger, cub, female) was brought off stage to the right side of the stage.

Toast was sure that he had only missed one or two auctions before, and most valued “products” would be auctioned at the end. And since Sykkuno was……. A person that people would simp for, he would be no doubt showcased at the end of the auction.

It had been thirty-four hours since Sykkuno was kidnapped. Thirty-four hours of Toast running around three auction houses looking for his brother.

He did the math, this was the last house of the week. Sykkuno would be here, and with luck, he could Buy Sykkuno back with the secret money that he had been saving secretly from Sykkuno.


	2. Act Two: Shock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toast is waiting for Sykkuno to show, only for him to never be on stage. Was he sold off? Toast needs to confirm this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you peeps for 120+ kudos :) 
> 
> Enjoy~~~~~~~

“AND THAT’S THE LAST AUCTION OF TODAY FOLKS! ENJOY YOUR NIGHT!”

“What?” Toast thought, in a state of disbelief.

Where in the hell is Sykkuno? 

And why didn’t he appear up on stage to be auctioneered??

Where in the holiest of fuck is his little brother? 

With his brain still processing and denying a reality that floated in his head, Toast sat there, eyes wide and still. 

The two “M”s in front of were talking in low voices, with the man in nearly all-black leaning near the green one. 

Toast could hear bits of the conversation that both of them were having. 

“Sy………...Bought………..V.I.P……….car……don……..M.”

V. I. fricken P. 

Toast had completely forgotten about V.I.Ps. 

V.I.Ps could buy “Products” before they were showcased and auctioned off. 

And Toast had neglected that possibly. 

Shit. 

The next thing he knew, Toast was with the ringmaster. Both men were in the back of the auction house. The Ringmaster supported “Offline” so he had willing to speak with Toast when he requested to. 

“Why do you need a record of the profits ?” The Ringmaster questioned, as he sorted through a heap of documents on a wooden table. 

“Just a mere thing that Scarra requested” Toast Lied. 

“Tu, Tu, Tu where is it………..There it is.” 

The Ringleader whirled around and delivered a booklet of papers to Toasts hands which he accepted.

“If you require me Toast, I’ll be taking charge of……. ‘Business’” 

And with that, the Ringleader spun and stalked away. 

Toast wasted no time flipping into the booklet, pushing downward the fact ~~that his little brother has been sold off and he’ll never see him again~~ that his most unfavourable fear might be becoming the current reality. 

Browsing the pages in the thick document, Toast registered every single sheet of sales that had a photo added behind it.

_Tiger, Female, three to four years of age, Twenty-two thousand, bought by I.P. during the auction._

  * _The female tiger was rather young, approximately 3-4 years of age, bought by XXX who is not a V.I.P._



_Great White Shark, years of age Uknown, Male, 1.2 million, bought by V.I.P., during the auction._

  * _The shark had scars and degraded fins but XXX bought it, as they had a special preview to it and acquired it before it was showcased._



_Human, Male, twenty-one years of age, nine thousand, bought by I.P. through the auction._

  * _The Male was a well-toned man, the man’s eyesight appears to be damaged. Bought by XXX._



_Hybrid, ?????, Years of Age Unknown, forty-five thousand, bought by V.I.P. before the auction._

  * _The Hybrid, or what we assume is nothing like we have ever seen before, did consider disposing of it, but **Philza** took a liking to it and purchased it before the auction, XXX saw Philza taking off the collar as he got in the van. _



_Human, Male, twenty-years of age, nineteen thousand, bought by V.I.P during the auction._

  * _The Male was ordinary, well built, bought by XXX._



  
  


As he flipped through the document along with the pictures he didn’t see any spot documentation that showed that Sykkuno had been sold to anyone. 

“Good,” Toast thought,

“There hasn’t been any documentation on Sykkuno being sold, maybe he was-

Low and behold, A documentation that designated a sale describing Sykkuno’s appearance. 

Toast seized up. 

No. 

_Human, Male, twenty-eight years of age._ **_One Hundred Seventy-five thousand,_ ** _Bought by V.I.P. Before Auction._

No. 

  
  


  * _Human, Male has a very great looking appearance, body feminine and a rather adorable looking face._



No. 

_The male was unconscious, as he struggled. “He” strolled past him. Only for “He” to stop and step backwards and halt in front of the male._

No. 

_“He” bought him without hesitation._

No. 

His Eyes flew down, and the next three words he read only added to his greatest fear. 

_Buyer:_ **_Corpse Husband_ **

No. 

With his hands bouncing like a child on Christmas morning, he flipped the sheet and was met with a picture of Sykkuno, most likely taken when Sykkuno had been shopping for plants weeks before. 

At this point, the world came shattering down on Toast. 

\-------------------------------------------

He doesn’t remember. 

He doesn’t recollect walking out of the Auction house. 

Toast doesn’t remember advancing his way back to the apartment.

He doesn’t know what time it is or how much time has passed. 

All he knew that Sykkuno had been purchased by a character named “Corpse Husband” 

And that meant he was in shock. 

Remaining on the bed of Sykkuno’s room, he just gawks at the ceiling, with his shades off, trying to grasp what in the name has just happened. 

Leaning over the edge of the bed, with his hands together and pressed against the lower half of his face. Trying to understand the fact that he had been denying for the last few days. 

With the fact being that Sykkuno had been auctioned off. 

Auctioned off. 

Oh, God.

With Toast on the brink of breaking due to him losing Sykkuno ~~and how he’ll never see him again.~~ He got engulfed by the guilt and panic that was overwhelming his mind over losing his brother. 

_Y̧̬̬͇̖̳̏͌͞o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ d̶̵̯̯̼̘ͨ̓i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟d̶̵̯̯̼̘ͨ̓n̫̫̘̗͕̲̲̎ͥ’t͖͖̠̬͛ p͔͔͚͉̬̋ͩ̾͗ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞t͖͖̠̬͛ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧc̨̨̣̮̝̈́̔ͯ̀͂t͖͖̠̬͛ h̨͚͚͖ͯ̒̄͗͞i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟m̰̰̹͚̙̂ͦ͗͠. Y̧̬̬͇̖̳̏͌͞o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ p͔͔͚͉̬̋ͩ̾͗ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞m̰̰̹͚̙̂ͦ͗͠i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟s̨̞̞̰͎͎̪̩͕̈́̀ͯ̍ͧͅḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧd̶̵̯̯̼̘ͨ̓ y͙͙̪̰ͫ͌o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ w̡̻̻̣͚̒̀ͅo͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘d̶̵̯̯̼̘ͨ̓ h̨͚͚͖ͯ̒̄͗͞o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞w̡̻̻̣͚̒̀ͅ c̨̨̣̮̝̈́̔ͯ̀͂o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘d̶̵̯̯̼̘ͨ̓ y͙͙̪̰ͫ͌o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡, y͙͙̪̰ͫ͌o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡’ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎ f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞ a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎ b͔͔̳͈̊̆ͥ͂͜͝ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞t͖͖̠̬͛h̨͚͚͖ͯ̒̄͗͞ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ, f̰̰̯͕͊̃̊͞͞͞a͔͔̜̗̦ͩ̅̎i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟l͖͖̰̝ͭ͘ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧ,_

  
  


Toast’s mind just kept screeching at him for failing and being a failure, until multiple shrieks, in reality, bought his mind back to the world, did not switch his position.

“TOAST!!!!!”

“SYKKUNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!” 

Oh god, why are they here? 

These two voices Toast did recognize. 

It was Valkyrae and Lily. Lily had worked beside him for ages in the market, he had met Valkyrae through Lilly, although, admittedly, he did not trust Valkyrae as much as he did with Lily. Valkyrae was a wildcard and had a reputation of backstabbing personalities and was nicknamed “Scarlet Witch” due to how much blood would be shed whenever she killed.

“SYYYYYKKKKKKKKKKKKUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOO?!??!?” “TOAST???!?!?” One voice called again. 

“Lily, you should inform Scarr-” One of the voices had gotten closer, then stopped talking. 

“Toast?” the voice whispered. 

As Toast slowly raised his head from his face, he could see that Valkyrae remained within the doorway. She sure seemed astounded and at a loss for words. 

Toast didn’t know if he was crying or not. 

Was he? He probably was, after all, everything had just crashed down on him. 

\--------------------------------------------------

Rae did NOT know what to do.

When you see a person that you nicknamed “ StoneWall” due to how emotionless that person can be with his emotions at times mourning in front of you, your brain just explodes and locks down. And in this case “StoneWall” is Toast. He looked like he was on the verge of breaking. 

“Shit,” Rae deemed. 

“OMG. OMG. Toast is sad. OH GOD.” Rae thought, panicking mentally. 

Rae and Toast kept uncomfortably staring at each other, with shuffles of Lily in the background pacing as she addressed the situation with someone on her pink phone with the “Offline” emblem on it. 

“Lily….Help…..” Rae gritted out through a corner of her mouth, talking into the destroyed hallway.

“Oh?” Lily answered while ending the call on the phone. She lifted an eyebrow as she stepped closer to Rae. Rae was never the kind to request help, After all, Rae had been an….. “Subject” to some experimenting and was shown to only rely on herself and only herself. 

So Rae asking Lily for aid was a red flag to Lilly. 

Even though Rae now understood that she could trust others. 

“Rae, are you ok- Oh.” 

Lily had noticed Toast sitting on the bed, which she assumed was Sykkuno’s bed. Toast as of now did not seem like he was in the most suitable state. And Sykkuno was not with him. Red Flag.

“Toast…..” Lily spoke, pacing towards Toast, with Rae moving out of the way. 

Lily sat down beside Toast on the bed facing him.

“Toast……… are you okay?” Lily uttered softly. Those words were enough for Toast to break down.

“Sykkuno……” Toast muttered

“Was sold off….”

“To some person named Corpse Husband…….”

“What?” both females uttered at the same time.

“I spent the last three days travelling throughout the houses looking for him….” Toast’s voice cracked. 

“ Only for me never have a chance of buying him back….” and with that, Toast broke down in tears. 

“I was supposed to protect him! But I failed…….” Toast lamented. Then he went still. 

Lily rubbed circles into his back. 

“Toast…………”

“.........”

Lily did not know what to say in this. But Rae did. 

“So?” Rae’s voice piercing through the silence, like a knife slicing through a paper in a flash. 

“Are you going to just cry?” 

Lifting his head from his hands, Toast gave her an incredulous gaze.

“Are you going to just cry or locate him?” Rae questioned again. 

“.............” 

“Toast I worry about Sykkuno as much as you do, and if I were you I wouldn’t waste my time lamenting.” 

Both Toast and Lilly raised eyebrows at Valkyrae, as Rae would never talk about worrying about someone. 

“Look, What I’m trying to say is that, Toast, you’re a motherfucking badass in this environment, both I and Lilly have seen you beat, only for you to get back up and face the environment again. The Toast I’m witnessing right now is not the Toast I remember. So, Toast, are you going to be Motherfucking Badass that I know and take Sykkuno back, or stay here, dwelling on your mistake?” 

Silence. 

In an Instant, Toast immediately wiped his tears off his face and stood up.

“I’m going to find Sykkuno and take him back. Even if it means my death.” with Toast reaching and settling his shades back over his eyes. 

“There’s the Motherfucking Toast I know!” Smirked Valkyrae. 

“Does Scarra have any knowledge concerning this?”

“Yes, he does.” Answered Lilly, while she was standing up. 

“I believe he might be up to something, But I’ll aid you in finding Sykkuno and bring him back.” 

“ **We will**.” Corrected Rae. 

“ **We’** ll aid you in finding Sykkuno and bring him back.” 

“Alright, and Rae?”

“Hm?” 

“Thanks”

Rae scoffed. 

“Your Welcome, Stonewall.” 

Toast rolled his eyes. 

“When are you going to stop calling me that?”

“Never” Rae jeered in response. 

And with that, the three left the apartment and travelled towards “Offline”’s central headquarters.

Little did they know, thirty miles away, a man cut the neck collar from an unconscious figure and spread a blanket over the figure, settling in a chair beside the unconscious figure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you y'all for reading~~~~~~
> 
> We will be seeing Sykkuno and Corpse next :)


	3. Update: Chapter in work and nearly done.

Hey y'all, sorry for the lack of updates........... School has not been the best friend and has sucked out my time for writing.

I am working on chapter three as you read this, and I have finished the plan for this series and have the ending planned already. 

Chapter three MAY come out tonight, or tomorrow, or next week, the next chapter will come out before the end of the second week of March. 

Again, Sorry for the lack of updates................

Here is a sneak peek for chapter three for your understanding and patience with me:

The next thing they know, a million guns were pointed at them, popping out of panels that blended into the brick wall. The guns were held up with robotic bits, the red dots hovering over their vitals. 

A speaker, also held up by robotic bits moved forward. 

“Password?” asked the speaker.


	4. Act Three: Smoke and Mirrors?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio is heading to base. 
> 
> and Sykkuno awakes, I repeat, Sykkuno awakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you ya'll for being patient with me~~~~
> 
> Enjoy~~~

Offline had various bases, each one having exclusive agents, devices or resources. But the main base outdid it all, it was the central base, the nest of the mother of all queen bees.

Many rumours circled around “Offline’s” central base, rumours that it was a high-tech lab, a greenhouse with seedlings that could gulp a human whole, and the rumour that there was no main base. 

Many of “Offline” could understand the first two rumours, as they had a lab where Michael Revees tested his inventions, and they had plenty of plants with the curiosity of Sykkuno. But they had no idea where in the world people came up with the last one, maybe it was the fact no one outside of “Offline” had entered the main base. 

Valkyrae, Toast and Lily strolled into the Sunshine ally. 

The Sunshine ally was the East-district side of the town. It was the district that was least influenced by the violent lifestyles many had. 

There was a non-spoken rule that all people had in town and followed:

Don’t drag the east into this. 

Sunshine ally was the most peaceful district. And many wanted it to stay that way. Many wanted the East to stay peaceful so that they could use it as a means of escape from the violence. 

It was more beautiful in the Sunshine Ally, with many white-brick buildings, several with display windows showcasing what merchandise they had. And above it was regularly a unit where family and the retired could reside. Heck, Lily owned a unit and shop there. 

But Valkyrae, Toast and Lily were not there to decompress. They were to enter the main base. 

After walking past many window displays, they stopped and entered a flower shop with a wooden sign with white lettering  _ “The Comfy Cartel”.  _

The Comfy Cartel was a florist shop. Or so it seemed. 

Inside the plant-filled store, near the back, away from the windows, there were two rows of self-check-out cashiers. But one of them didn’t operate and had a sign that said:  _ Needs repairs, sorry! ヾ(´･ω･｀)  _ in Lily’s neat and curly handwriting. 

But it wasn’t broken, sure it couldn’t read the barcode tags that were attached to the plants and planting materials, but it could read only one barcode. 

The barcode into getting the central base. Which was printed onto the back of Lily’s Staff ID badge. And only her badge. None of the staff at her shop had it printed on their badges. 

The shop was closed for today, so no employees happened to be present. 

Toast and Valkyrae gave Lily some room so she could scan the badge. 

“Come on….. Come on….” Lily squeaked.

You’d assume that Lily would know how to scan her badge like a professional by now, but she was still bad at scanning. No matter how many times she scanned. 

With Lily not-so-quietly cursing, the cashier finally registered the id scan bar. 

“Finally…..” Lily huffed. 

***Click…… cre-cre-cre-cre-cre-cre-cre-cre**

The wall in front of the trio was opening, pushing open to the left of them. 

*click. 

The door was fully opened. 

They stood for a moment before Rae chimed up. 

“After you, ‘StoneWall’.” Rae gestured to Toast.

Toast scoffed and rolled his eyes. 

“Stop calling me that.” 

Rae stuck out her tongue at him. 

Toast stepped into the opening and was faced with darkness, light only emitting from dim lanterns that were lit and hung on the brick wall that was aligned with pipes. Rae and Lily stepped in behind him. Lily pulled a lever to the right, making the door creak close gradually. 

The trio began to walk into the dim hallway. Away from the closed door. 

They walked in silence. 

The hallway was dark, with drops of water echoing in the dark, a short distance later, the hallway led down with a flight of cement stairs. 

Normally, only elite members and higher-up in “Offline” could enter and leave the main base alive, Lily and Toast were members but Rae was not. Rae was a Viliglant, not a member of Offline. But neither Lily nor Toast did not obstruct her from entering the hall. Nor did stop her from going down the stairs. 

Near the bottom of the stairs was a metal door. 

Toast stepped ahead and gave it two rhythmic knocks. 

The next thing they know, a million guns were pointed at them, popping out of panels that blended into the brick wall. The guns were held up with robotic bits, the red dots hovering over their vitals. 

A speaker, also held up by robotic bits pushed forward from the guns. 

“Password?” demanded the speaker.

“Simp.” Replied Toast.

“‘Scarlet Witch’ cannot enter.” the Speaker said. 

“She is not part of ‘Offline’ Therefore, she cannot enter.”

“OH COME ON!” Lily Sheirked at the speaker.

“MICHAEL, YOU LET HER IN LAST TIME!!!”

“WELL, I DON’T WANT TO TO-DAY!!!” The speaker roared back. Emphasizing the day in today. 

_ Who-boy.  _ Rae thought. 

_ They are fighting again.  _

The man operating the speak and security was Lily’s partner, Michael Revees. Michael Revees was the man behind the high-grade Sci-fi technology that “Offline” had. Micheal had SOMEHOW charmed Lily into becoming his girl. But they quarrelled like a married couple, since Michael was a wildcard both in character and actions, One moment he could be the friendliest person ever, the next, a man who wanted to rip you to pieces. 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T WANT TO TODAY??!?!?!!?” 

“BECAUSE I DON’T FEEEELLL LIKE IT!” Michael yelled, lingering on the word “feel”.

The couple proceeded to bicker as the guns pulled back, and both Rae and Toast just stood there awkwardly as the couple continued to bicker. 

It was awkward least to say, watching them fight verbally over Michael’s antics. 

After standing for what seemed like a century Rae spoke up. 

“Ok, I can’t come in, I’ll just leave and you guys can call me later to inform me of what happened,” Rae stated. 

Silence. 

“Also, Fuck you Michael for having the AUDACITY to not let me in when you HAVE let me in BEFOREHAND” She fumed. 

“Fuck you too, Scarlet witch” Michael quipped over the speaker. 

“Rae I can-”

“Save it. Both of you. Just call when you’re done, Plus, I have a “Hit” to do.” 

With that, Valkyrae spun around and stalked away, with her high-heeled boots clicking the cement floor the sound fusing with the sound of the water drops as she merged with the darkness.

As soon as Valkyrae was out of earshot, Lily once again screeched at Michael

“MICHAEL WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!” shrieked Lily

Toast flinched as the couple continued to bicker. 

“Alright lovebirds, break it up and stop fighting,” Toast announced in a sigh.

“ WE’RE NOT FIGHTING!!!!!!” Both Lily and Michael screeched at Toast identically at the same time causing him to jump a little. 

“Michael, just let us in,” Lily fumed

The speaker went silent and then pulled away. 

***click! click-click-click**

The metal door had opened exposing a smirking Pokimane standing in the light. 

“I heard Michael scream from the commons area and figured that you were here, Lily,” Pokimane smirked. 

Pokimane was one of the top elite in “Offline”. Pokimane specialized in gathering intel and is usually the person to go to if you wanted to find out what has happened in the districts in the last couple of hours or so. 

“And Toast………I know already. And so does Scarra.” Pokimane tiled her head. Her smirk disappearing, her facial expression melting into being serious. 

“Scarra is expecting you. Meeting room left to three.” 

“See you both there.” 

\------------------------------------------------------

Scarra was sitting at the head of the table, with Pokimane, Michael and other elite members of “Offline” present. Either standing or sitting near Scarra. 

Toast and Lily were standing at the other head of the table. With their comrades staring holes into both of them and muttering.

“So, Toast,” Scarra said, with his voice slashing the muttering and whisper of the elite into silence. 

“Poki here,” Scarra said, waving his hand in the direction of where Poki was sitting.

“Has told me about the situation with Sykkuno. Care to fill me in detail about the situation?” 

And in detail he did. 

\------------------------------------------------------

_ Sykkuno was humming happily as he pulled the baked potatoes out of the oven. Today was a special day, after all, it was his birthday. Sykkuno couldn’t wait to celebrate with Toast on this particular day.  _

_ As he was setting down the tray, his phone rang out.  _

_ Sykkuno placed the tray that contained the little sacks that were full of yummy goodness and swiped off his oven mittens to answer the ringing phone.  _

_ “Hello?” _

_ “Hey. it’s me Toast.”  _

_ “Toast how are you-” Sykkuno chirped, now that his brother was talking to him.  _

_ “I can’t come home tonight. I have work.” Toast said, cutting Sykkuno off.  _

_ Sykkunos demeanour drained nearly after hearing the word can’t coming from Toast. Not only that, Sykkuno could feel that there was negative energy radiating from him on the other side of the phone.  _

_ “Oh….” Sykkuno said dully, with his shoulders dropping.  _

_ “Yeah….”  _

_ “........” _

_ “Hey, Toast?”  _

_ “Hm?”  _

_ “Do you know what day it is?” _

_ “Hm? It’s Thursday, just like any other day.” _

_ any other day. _

**_any other day._ **

**_………._ **

**_He forgot again._ **

**_……….._ **

**_He forgot._ **

_ “Oh thank you.……I f-forgot what day it was to-” _

_ “Bye, Sykkuno.” Toast’s voice cut him off. _

_ “By-……..” _

_ “*BEEP.”  _

_ *Beep, *Beep, *Beep.  _

_ Toast forgot. Again.  _ ~~_ Did he forget again this year?  _ ~~ _ No. This was just an honest mistake.  _

_ Right? _

_ “He just forgot, it was just a mistake,” Sykkuno muttered as he sat at the table by himself, watching the fire flicker back and forth on the candle attached to the cake wedge.  _

_ “It was a mistake. Right?” _

_ Sykkuno celebrated his twenty-fifth birthday alone, not for the first time. On that day, he stopped celebrating his birthday, he still celebrated Toast’s birthday with him but never again his.  _

_ It had been four years since his brother forgot about his birthday. Not for the first time, and not for the last time. Toast continued to forget about Sykkuno’s birthday. _

_ He forgot.  _

_ He forgot. _

“He forgot….” Sykkuno muttered out slowly as he opened his eyes. His black eyes were staring at the ceiling, which was a red silk sheet that was draped onto some kind of metal frame. He looked down at his arms, what seemed to be a blood infusion and an iv drip were stuck into his arms. He felt something cold on his forehead. 

“You’re awake.” a deep voice rumbled

Surprisingly, Sykkuno did not flinch, nor did he feel scared. Sykkuno tiled his head to the right, only to see the silhouette of a man and one glowing red eyes

“Hello-o……” Sykkuno groaned out. Flashing a smile. 

_ No negative energy…….. _

Sykkuno could hear the man chuckle. 

“Not scared of me?” The man chuckled.

Sykkuno shook his head, the cold feeling on his head slipping away slightly. 

The man once again chuckled and reached to adjust the compass on Sykkuno’s head.

“What’s your name?” Sykkuno mumbled out, feeling his head hurt.

The man was hesitant to answer Sykkuno. After a couple of moments of silence, he said in a monotone voice: “I go by Corpse now.” 

“Hm……..” Sykkuno looked Corpse in his red eye. 

“Mr. Coprse?” asked Sykkuno

“Hm?” 

“Why can’t I remember anything?”

Corpse froze. 

“.......You don’t remember?” Corpse whispered.

Sykkuno shook his head weakly, feeling that his head was empty. 

“you were about to be bought off the auction house. I bought you.”

“The ringleader said that your name is Sykkuno.” 

“Oh….” Sykkuno whispered, his eyelids feeling heavy. 

Corpse noticed how sleepy-looking Sykkuno had got and how he was drooping. 

“I know you just woke up but………. You should get some sleep. You have a concussion from when the auction kidnapper’s snatched you.” Corpse said, rising and pulling the blanket up to Sykkuno’s chin with his gloved hand. 

“Plus, you have a fever,” he stated as he changed the cold compass on Sykkuno’s forehead. 

“Thank you….” Sykkuno mumbled as he snuggled into the warm blanket, as Corpse wrung out the compass and dunked it into the ice-cold water, Sykkuno let himself be whisked away into dreamland. 

Corpse smiled a thin smile as he laid the cold compass on Sykkuno’s forehead. 

“Man’s not even scared of me….” Corpse chuckled. 

As much as he would have liked to stay by the man who he found himself attached to, Corpse got up, walked the length of the room to the door. He stole a glance at Sykkuno’s sleeping form then closed the door behind him.

It was time for business. 

He walked down the hallway, changing himself mentally and entered the courtyard. 

“Charlie.” 

“Hm.” A man hummed in response. 

Charlie had joined Corpse shortly after meeting the man. His fashion sense was like stereotypical punk. 

Charlie was currently wearing a black-tee with painted-on blood splats and white zippers on the left side. The left upper sleeve was held to the main piece. He wore a black glove with a buckle at the end of it and it had chains weaving in and out of the said glove. He wore dark pants supported with a black belt with a skull on it and with another chain buckle on the side of them. And kick-ass boots. But the main thing was his mask. The mask covered his entire face and a part of his neck. Charlie was pale in what skin you could see, his tattoos sticking out more due to his pale complexion. He was way too pale for someone his age. 

“And you two……. Gald you’re here.”

A woman and a Neon-green-hair man smirked in the shadows.

“I see you have them.” Corpse continued. 

Corpse stared at the row of men lined up on the wall on their knees. These men were the ones that had seized Sykkuno. They were all tied and blindfolded with their backs to them. 

Corpse walked closer, clicking a switch near the inner wrist of his gloves. There was a piece of slightly bulky machinery that assumed a gun-shaped as soon as Corpse had pressed the switch. 

“So you’re the ones responsible.” Corpse said coldly, aiming his gun at the back of the head of one of the men. 

The man shook slightly in fear. 

***BAM!.**

The man collapsed. 

“Leave no one alive. Sykkkuno has forgotten his memory because of them.” Corpse gritted out.

The woman and neon-green man’s demeanour changed. It had shifted from relaxed to rage in a mere second.

Both walked closer and drew out their personalized guns. Corpse and the two pointed at the back of the heads of the remaining ones. Charlie just watched as he had been the one to drag and track down those assholes into the courtyard. 

At the same time, three gunshots rang out. Killing the men immediately. 

_ *BAM! _

*BAm!

***BAM!**

\------------------------------------------------------

“And here we are.” Toast finished. 

Toast had just explained his side of the story of what the last couple of days had been leading up to the current circumstance. 

Scarra had mostly remained quiet and listened, with his hands clutched together, while some members were murmuring throughout the explanation, and were now talking about what to do.

“Sykkuno isn’t one of us,” one spoke

“If we interfered wouldn’t our rep go down?” members muttered

“It would for meddling with something that doesn’t interest the majority of us.”

“Who the heck is Sykkuno?”

“He’s Toast’s younger brother.”

Scarra raised his hand, and the room went dead. 

“I want everyone out. Expect for Toast.” Scarra commanded. 

“Huh? Wh-” one elite questioned.

“NOW,” Scarra spoke. 

One, by one, each member stood and filed out. Leaving Toast and Scarra being the only ones sitting in the room. 

“Toast” 

Toast perked up. 

“As you have just heard, if Offline were to interfere, our reputation could plummet, and as you know, that is the downfall of many who have ‘fallen’” 

It was true, if a district’s reputation dwindled, it would be targeted by other districts and would eventually be wiped out and replaced with another new or standing district. 

“But-”

“However, you’re free to do whatever you want, but  **independently** along with others who are willing to join,” Scarra said in a monotone voice, slightly cold.

“But don’t be rash. I’ve known you to be rash at times.” Scarra continued 

Toast nodded. 

“You are dismissed.” Scarra spun himself around so that the chair’s back was facing Toast. 

As Toast had his hand on the door handle. Scarra, once again, spoke. 

“And Toast?”

“Hm?”

“I think you might be misinterpreting this situation.” 

Toast turned to look at him. 

“What do you mean?” Toast asked.

“Do you think that he needs to be rescued?”

Toast felt his blood boil. 

“Scarra. My brother was bought by someone that could harm him.” gritted Toast. 

“Alright,” 

“I warned you Toast, don’t be rash.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave Kudos if you enjoyed and want a new chapter :D


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